As the clocks fall back, don’t be left in the dark

The latest StatsCan numbers indicate that of pedestrian fatalities, 60 per cent were killed at night or in dim light conditions and were unseen by drivers.

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As daylight hours shrink, drivers and pedestrians alike should become ever more vigilant

by
Lorraine Sommerfeld | September 21, 2015

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Saskatchewan is home to the smartest people in Canada.

As the kids head back to class, the sun is already fading earlier. Just as it becomes tougher and tougher for drivers to see pedestrians and cyclists, the rest of Canada will set their clocks back to make it even darker. Daylight Savings Time is ridiculous. Saskatchewan, I salute you for not caving to peer pressure.

We already have a tenuous-at-best relationship between the various people who share our roads. Pedestrians jaywalk, cyclists ignore laws, skateboarders are just nuts and drivers Donald Trump their way to the front of the line. “I spend the most, I win!”

Before we ascertain blame – and there is plenty to go around – let’s consider one factor: darkness. The latest StatsCan numbers indicate that of pedestrian fatalities, 60 per cent were killed at night or in dim light conditions and were unseen by drivers. The number for cyclists is 34 per cent.

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Regardless of fault, a tangle with a car is never going to end well for a pedestrian or a cyclist. Never. That’s the law of physics, not the law of the land. Slap some reflective tape – and better yet, lights – on your kids’ bikes. It’s getting dark when many of them are coming home from school. Many jackets have reflective panels built in; look for them when you’re replacing outerwear. If you’re an adult, I’m presuming you’re smart enough to be wearing the right gear.

We tell drivers to be careful around school zones and on Hallowe’en, but the dark brings a whole other factor to street safety in general. I get cranky about pedestrians who cross a parking lot on a long, endless diagonal, or jab their cart in front of a car like it’s a Kryptonite buggy with a slot for a quarter. I don’t understand drivers who, from the comfort of their vehicular cocoon, can’t wait an extra moment for someone braving the elements to get where they’re going.

We shouldn’t need signs and reminders to be careful in populated areas, no matter the day or time. You should already be cautious in a parking lot because there are drivers who think R stands for ram. Pedestrians do dumb things; you still don’t get to kill them.

Twice a year when the clocks flip, we hear of an uptick in crashes. Some blame the new angle of the sun corresponding to commutes and others cite disturbed sleep cycles of drivers. Personally, I think it’s all the people trying to find a paperclip or pen to jam into those little buttons to reset the clocks in their car. One year, two of us had both reset the clock meaning I drove around for weeks not knowing what the hell time it was.